Adjustable valve



July 18, 1933. J. F. cuLP ADJUSTABLE VALVE Filed nay 21, 1930 glu/vento@im dofnaq discharged,

Patented July 18, i933 stares PATENT-f i-s'ics JOHN F. CUL?, OIE*PHLDELPIA, 'EENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IBEAL LBRC'ATOR CMEANY, GlPEILADELPHI, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR-PGRATION 0F DELAVARE Anwen/inns VALVEApplication le May 21,

My invention relates to adjustable valve structures or' the type adaptedto control the flow ot a liquid or semi-liquid through a pipe to aselected destination.

invention primarily relates to ade .f'alve devices which are .adaptedespeciallv for use for controlling the supase or its equivalent 'througha. 13e to i eaiing of a mechanical structure for lubricating the saine.Y

ln many cases the practice is to employ rre-ase a. lubri ant, the samebeing supied under pressure. It is desirable that e neans for contrlling the passage of e vthe bearing shall be adjustle` to t diiierentconditions of soitness or luidity due to variations of temerature orother causes so that the quanity of lubricant applied to a bearing ormay be controlled and regulated a device or novel construction in- Y ahousing and a'valve member therein, which housing is provided with anopening extending therethrough axially or lubricant is suppliedv to thesaid adjustable valve member, and the said housing alsov bei c providedwith an opening through on J de ther-eci through which lubricant ismeans being provided for conveyi nie lubricant to a bearing or the liketo be lubricted. The said valve member is provided with a helicalpassageway one portion of which is always fully exposed to the 'openingin theside of the said housing regardless of the position to which themovable valve member Vmay be adjusted in the said housing. Y *Y l Italso is an object of the invention to provide a device tor controllingand regu-` lating the flow of a lubricant therethroughv to a bearing tobe lubricated which includes means whereby the regulation of the flowmay be effected positively and wi h extreme accuracy.

To the foregoing and other ends my iiivention comprehends theconstruction as hereinafter described in detail, particularly set forthin the claims ,and as illustrated weneral object or' my inventionis to Yleso. serieu N0.454,2e1. Y

in the :drawing wherein I have shown an embodiment of my invention inthe forni which at sresent is referred b me. fl-low'-rv forms ofconstruction than that disclosed and that changes in the details of suchconstruction vmay be made within the scope of the claims withoutdeparting from the said invention.

ln the drawing: Y Fig. l is a view in longitudinal sectional elevationof device embodying the invention and also showing portions ofV abearing and a member journaled therein, and valso showing a portion of apipe connected to the saiddevice through which lubricant is supplied i-f A Fig. 2 is a view intransverse section taken on the dash anddot line2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig.V 3 is a similar view Vtaken on the line 3 3 ofFig. l. i

ln the drawing through which a lubricant, suchV as'A grease,

is adapted to be supplied to one end of a.

casing or housing A of a device embodying the invention. The saidhousing comprises parts 2 and 3 whichare detachably secured to eachother. The part 2 is of greater diameter than the part 3 and is providedwith an internally screwethreaded opening Il in the inner end thereofwith which is en:

`gaged the externally screw-threaded inner screwed into the member 2-is.limited by the` shoulder .7 upon the member 8 against Vwhich the innerend ot the membergQ ab'uts;

The outei'gend of the part 3 of the casing.

or housing is provided''withv an internally screw-threaded opening 8with which is lengaged ane-nd of thepipe l.- rl`he screwthreaded opening8 is 'in communication`r with the interior of the enlarged openingI'have shown at l pipe Y 9 of the inner portion 8 through an opening 10of relatively small diameter which is provided in the partition ordividing wall 1 1.

The portion 2 of the casing or housing is provided with a tubularprojection 12 which is interiorly screw-threaded, as indicated at 18,for the reception of the screw-threaded end portion 14 of the shortcoupling pipe 15 the opposite end portion of which has screwthreadedengagement with a screw-threaded opening 16 which is in communicationwith the interior of the bearing 17 through a reduced opening 18. Thebottom of the screwthreaded opening of the projection 12 is incommunication with the space 6 through an opening' 19 in the side of thepart 2 of small diameter as compared with that of the i screw-threadedopening 18 of the projection.

- For the purpose of controlling the flow or passageof a lubricant,whether of grease or an equivalent flowable or flowing material, I haveprovided an adjustable valve member 25 consisting of a cylindricalmembervhaving a helical theread 26, the presence of which provides ahelical passageway 27. rlhe thread 26 is in slidable engagement with thewallpof the housing and is in engagement with a helical thread 28provided upon the inner side of the outer end portion of the member 2 ofthe housing. For the purpose of adjusting the adjustable valve member 25in the housing I have provided the outer end thereof with a slot 29kwhich is adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool for rotating the saidvalve member. After the latter has been adjusted to any position desiredin the housing it is held in such position by means of a lock nut 30which is screwed into clamping or binding relation to the outer end ofthe member 2, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. v

The internal threads 28 are so related to the portion 2 of the housingand to the opening 19 in the side thereof that regardless of theposition to which the said valve member 25 may be adjusted one turn ofthe helical groove 27 extends substantially diametrically across thesaid opening 19. By this arrangement the lubricant, after it hastraveled through the helical groove 27 from the inner end thereof to thesaid opening 19, is free to escape from the latter and thence to theinterior of the bearing 17. Y

By reason of the shapeand size of the helical groove 27 and the factthat it is in no way restricted at the point of discharge of thelubricant therefrom into` the pipe 15 the resistance offered by theflow-or passage of lubricant through the adjustable valve control devicewillnot vary after the adjustable valve member has been adjusted to theosition desired. The total resistance ofered by the valve to the passageof lubricant from the pipe 1 into the interior of the housing andtherefrom through the opening 19 will depend upon the position to whichthe' movable valve member 25 shall have been adjusted within the saidhousing.

If the movable valve member 25 is adjusted inwardly the length of theportion of the helical groove 27 through which lubricant must travelbefore it escapes therefrom through the opening 19 is increased andtherefore the resistance offered to the llow or passage of the lubricantpast the said valve member is increased. If, on the other hand, the saidvalve member is adjusted outwardly or in the opposite direction thelength of the portion of the said helical groove or passageway throughwhich thelubricant must pass is decreased; consequently the resistanceoffered to its flow or passage through the valve control device kisdecreased. It will be understood that the lubricant is under pressurewhich preferably should be continuous although continuous pressure isnot essential.

It will be noted that the exterior diameter of the thread 26 issubstantially equal to the diameter of the opening 9 in the member 3 ofthe housing. The clearance is suflicient only to permit adjustment ofthe valve member 25 inwardly and outwardly within the said opening 9. Itfollows, therefore, that the helical groove 27 of the valve member 25constitutes the only passageway for the lubricant between the valvemember 25 and the inner side of the wall of the portion 3 of the housingA. Y

It isto be observed that the pressure for driving the lubricant throughthe valve control device is exerted lengthwise thereof and that theopening in the side 2 of the housing is located at a point intermediatetheends of the member 2 and' constitutes in effect means 'for'releasingthe pressure exerted upon the lubricant in the housing to thereby avoidor reduce toa minimum the. possibility of leakage of lubricant throughthe screwthreaded outer end portion of the member 2.

Although in the construction as illustrated the lubricant is conductedfrom a side of the housing to the bearing to be lubricated Vyet Idesire'it to be understood that the lubricant may be supplied throughthe opening in theside of thev housing and caused to flow through thedevice in a direction opposite to that as shown and described. In thelatter case the pipe 1 would be connected to the bearing to belubricated while the pipe 15 would be connected to the source oflubricant supply.

Itwill be seen that by my invention I have provided a device ofextremely vsimple construction having means'whereby the opening 19 is atalltimes in free and unobstructed communication with a portion of thehelical groove 27. By this meansr the same relationship and conditionbetween the adjustable valve member 25 and the passageway for thevdischarge of lubricant therefrom is mainlib cert-ai predeterminedposition if the lubricant is held under constant pressure the sameamount of lubricant Will be discharged at the charto thiidity all timesprovided, of course, iat aoteristics of the said lubricant as, or fici`ability are not altered.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to securebyLetters Patent is:

l. An adjustable valve device ior controlling and regulating the flovvoi' a lubri-V cant to bearing, the said device comprising a housing,said housing havingan opening aside thereof, means tor supplyinglubricant to the said housing, a pipe having connection `vvith'saidhousing and being in communication with said opening for supplyinglubricant from the said device to the bearing to be lubricated, theinterior of the outer end portion of said housing being provided With ahelical thread, and an adjustable valve member having a helical threadthe presence olf which provides a helical groove, the said helicalthread upon the said valve member engaging the thro d upon the interiorot the said hor ing and slidably engaging the Wall oi' the housing sothat upon rotation oit the said valve member lengthwise adjustmentthereor is etlected, and the said valve member being so related to thesaid housing that he said supply means and a portion ot the said helicalgroove are at `all times in tree and unobstructed communication with thesaid opening through the side or" said housvalve device for controllingthe new or" a grease lubricant to a bearing to be lubricated, saiddevice comrising a two-part housing, means for coniecting the said partstogether, the interior t the outer end portion of one of said arts beingprovided With a helical thread, said last mentioned part being providedAn adjustable ne ith opening in a side which is in communication Withthe interior thereoii, a pipe for supplying lubricant to said housing, apipe having connection vvithsaid housing and being in communication withthe said iening for supplying lubricant from'said housing to saidbearing, and afvalve member having a helical thread slidably engagingthe Wall of the housing and which is in 'engagement with the helicalthread upon the ,interior ci the said outer end portion ot one oi theparts of said housing, the presence of said helical thread upon saidvalve member providing a helical groove, and the said valve member beingso related to the Vsaid housing that said pipe for Ysupplying lubricantto the housing and a poruion of said groove are at all times in tree andunobstructed communication With the said opening regardless of theposition to which the said valve member may be adjusted in said housing.c

3. An adjustable valve device for controlling the iow of a greaselubricant to a bearing to be lubricated, said device comprising ahousingl consisting of tvvo parts, one ofthe said parts having aninternally screw-threaded opening in its inner end and the other ot saidpartshaving upon its innerend an externally.screw-threaded portion forengaging th internally screvvthreaded portion ot the first named part,and the second named part bein g provided with a shoulder to limit theent '3 oiV adjustment of the said tvio parts toward one another, tliirst named part being provided With an opening in its side Which islocated beyond the inner end ofthevsecond named part and also beingrovided With a projection having an opening inalinement with the saidside opening, a pipe secured in the opening ot said projection and beingin communication with the bearing to be lubricated for conveyinglubricant thereto, the outer end portion of the first named part havinganv internal helical thread, and a cylindrical valve member having aneX- ternal helical ythread slidably engaging the vvall of the housingand in engagement With sain internal helical thread and providing aielical groove, a portion ol which groove and the supply means being intree and unobstructed communication With said side opening, the saidvalve member being adjustable in the said housing. to vary theresistance offered to the ilovv ot lubricant therethrough to the saidside opening.

4l. An adjustable valve devicel for controlling the vtlovv of lubricantto a bearing to be lubricated, said device comprising a housing open atone end and provided With a helical thread upon the interior ot saidend, said housing being provided With a chamber constituting a reservoirnear its outer end and also having an opening in the side thereof incommunication vvith the said reservoir, a valve member extending intosaid housing and having a helical thread slidably engaging the rvvall ofsaid housing and in engagement vvith the first named helical thread, aportion of the groove provided by the helical thread of said valvemember being at all times open and freely exposed to the opening intheside of the said housing. Y v Y 5. An adjustable valve device forcontrolling the l'lovv of a llubricant lto a bearing to be lubricated,said device comprising a housing consisting of two-parts, the Vinner endof one of the said parts being internally screw-threaded to receive, theexternally screw-threaded vinner end portion of the i r-l j thread uponthe said adjustable member providing a helical groove which at all timeshas ifree and unobstructed communication with the supply means and theopening in the side of the said firstnamed member of the housing, andthe diameter of the said adjustable member being substantially equal tothe diameter' of the interior of the said second named part of thehousing.

6. An adjustable-valve device for controlling the flow of a lubricant toa bearing to be lubricated, said device comprising a housing one endof'Which is open, and the interior of the open end portion of saidhousing being provided with a helical thread, and said housing having anopening in its side in predetermined relation to the inner end of saidhelical thread, means l'or supplying a lubricant to the said housing,and an adjustable valve member mounted in the said housing having ahelical thread slidably engaging the Wall of the housing and inengagement With the helical thread of the said housing, the helicalthread of the said adjustable valve member providing a helical groove inthe said valve member, and the relation of the opening in the side ofsaid housing to the helical groove of the latter being such as to causea portion of the groove in the said adjustable valve member to be at alltimes in free and unobstructed communication with the said side opening.

JOHN F. CULP.

